Never Leaving
by jircat
Summary: Remus decides to listen to Harry's advice. After all, Harry knows what it's like not to have a proper family. Soon enough, Remus, Tonks, their family, and friends are all fighting for a better world for themselves and the next generation. Only rated "T" because I'm paranoid
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I unfortunately do not own Harry Potter **

Remus Lupin ran his fingers through his hair, trying to compose himself. And failing. Harry's words ran through his head once again. Reminding him of all of his shortcomings. Mocking him.

"He's got a point." Remus whispered. It had been 16 years since James and Lily had died. Just looking at Harry reminded him of the his best friends. Harry looked like James but had Lily's eyes and kind-hearted nature. Remus had always made a point of trying to be a substitute father to Harry but Sirius was always who Harry trusted most. It was hard for Remus, knowing that he was always second best. But he still tried.

As he replayed the conversation at Grimmauld Place in his head, it was easier to understand Harry's point of view. He had never had parents. Sure, he had Molly and Arthur, Sirius, and Remus himself, but never a mum and dad. Although Harry had experienced so much pain and loss, he had never blamed any of it on his friends and adopted "family." He never played that card. Until now...

Without meaning to, Remus's feet had carried him to the nearest apparition point down the street from Grimmauld Place. It was raining lightly when he stormed out of the house and turned to pouring rain within a matter of minutes. Seemingly matching his emotions. The sky turned to a dark an stormy gray, the light from the flickering street lamps reflected on the low mist hanging over the street. Remus pulled his thin coat tighter around him, trying to keep in the heat.

Taking a deep breath, Remus turned on the spot, concentrating on somewhere. Where that somewhere was was somewhat of a mystery of even the traveler. He knew that he just needed to get off of the street and in front of a warm fire to unthaw.

Remus felt his feet return to the ground after a few seconds of suffocating pressure. When he looked up, it was clear where the somewhere was meant to be.

"No, no, no" he sighed, "This is a bad idea." But once again, just as they had since he left Grimmauld Place, Harry's words were on repeat in his head. Sighing again, Remus lifted his fisted hand up to the door.

He was saved the trouble of actually knocking though because at that precise moment, none other than Andromeda Tonks opened the door, purse in hand, with a determined look on her face. She saw him standing in the doorway with his hand raised to knock. Their eyes met and her stare was ice.

'Oh. If looks could kill.' Remus thought.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I unfortunately do not own Harry Potter **

Andromeda Tonks had a vice grip on Remus' arm.

"Get in here Remus I-don't-know-your-middle-name Lupin." She sneered. Remus was starting to see the resemblance between Andromeda and the rest of the Black family. He knew that stare all too well. Remus had spent seven years in school with Sirius and though he had learned to expect the infamous Black evil eye, he had never quite gotten used to it.

At the familiar look that he remembered all too well from the Marauder's Hogwarts days, Remus faltered. His carefully crafted façade slipping for a second. And that second was all that Andromeda needed to see all of the hurt and guilt that Remus carried and her resolve softened, if only slightly.

"John." He muttered, "My middle name's John" his voice cracking as he attempted to look Andromeda in the eye. Of course he couldn't, not after what he had done to Dora.

She led him over to the couch and sat down, looking up at him as if expecting him to say the first word. When it became apparent that he wasn't going to say anything anytime soon, she cleared her throat and willed herself to look stern. Needless to say, her motherly instincts kicked in and being stern with Remus became impossible.

"You left Remus. And now you're back. Explain."

Remus shook his head almost imperceptibly, an impenetrable shadow crossed in front of his eyes and it became obvious that he wouldn't, or couldn't reply.

Andromeda sighed and resigned herself to a new tactic. She honestly had no idea why Remus had stormed out of the flat that he and Nymphadora shared. All she knew was that her daughter had shown up at her house at 10:00 on a Thursday night and that there had been some sort of argument. Andy knew Remus from when Sirius was still in school and the Marauders would come over to visit her. And she knew that he would never deliberately hurt anyone, much less someone that he loved. She also had always thought Remus to be the type of person to defend those he loved with his life. So why had he walked out over a simple argument?

"You've got to at least tell me what happened that night that Nymphadora came here." She tried.

You could cut the tension in the room with a knife. It was that thick. A deafening silence descended on the sitting room and they could hear each individual raindrop as it hit the roof and see the large black clouds roll across the sky. Clearly reflecting the ominous mood that was omnipresent in the room.

Slowly, Remus looked up, daring to meet Andromeda's eyes. Secretly, she was glad that he was actually responding to what she said.

In a hoarse voice he questioned, "She didn't tell you, did she?" She shook her head urging him to continue.

Remus took a deep breath and looked away from her eyes. He suddenly found his shoes to be extremely intriguing.

"You know I love her right? More than anything else. I couldn't bear for her to get hurt. I wanted to save her from myself. I figured that she would be better off without me and I could go do something that might help the Order…"

"You're rambling Remus, just cut to the chase." He nodded and once again took a deep breath. Glancing up with a determined look in his eyes.

"I need Dora and she needs me. I left because I thought that she could be better off without me but I was convinced to come back because… well, oh gosh Andy," he hadn't called Andromeda that in years, "Dora's pregnant."

The look on Andromeda's face was first expressionless but after a moment broke into a wide smile. She tackled him in a bone-crushing hug and in that moment, Remus knew that whatever happened he would always have a loving family.

"She's in her room, I'll go get her and you too can talk it all out." Andromeda said with a smile, completely forgetting that she was angry at Remus just moments before.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I unfortunately do not own Harry Potter (This goes for Chapters 1 & 2 also)**

The weight of the conversation that had just occurred dawned on Remus very suddenly as Andromeda stood up to retrieve Tonks from her room. It was not like it was easy to admit his faults to Andy, but Remus felt a lot better now that he had. No secrets. That's how it would stay from now on, he vowed to himself.

He made a valiant effort to compose himself before Andy came back with Dora but found that he was having a hard time. Sighing deeply Remus Lupin stood up and started pacing around the room. He stopped when his attention was caught by a picture frame on the mantle with a picture of a smiling pink haired child of about 9 years old. He involuntarily smiled and noticed how happy and carefree Dora, 'No. _His_ Dora' he reminded himself, looked.

As his gaze moved to the next picture, Remus found himself wondering if the baby would have his eyes or Dora's nose or even if it would be a metamorphagus or not (he conveniently left out the possibility of werewolf traits being inheritable).

From down the hallway came the exasperated voice of Andromeda.

"Nymphadora! For goodness sake, get up. You have spent entirely too much time wallowing in your self pity in your room. Come out and be social for once." Remus could almost see the eye roll that would most definitely accompany that monologue.

He noticeably jumped when the next thing that he heard was said in a voice that he had missed all too much in the last few weeks. "But mum! I want to stay in here."

"Darling," Andy's voice once again softened considerably, "I have something for you out in the living room. I think you might like it. But you have to get up and walk out there if you ever want to know what it is."

"I. Am. Not. Leaving. This. Room." Dora declared. Remus knew this behavior. This was the voice that usually accompanied the times in which he would usually go and sleep out on the couch when she was mad at him for some reason or another. It was her mean voice. And it could sure make a bloke feel like crap when she pulled the guilt trip card.

"Fine then" was Andy's response. No more than a few seconds later, Andromeda was back in the living room with Remus, scheming on how to get her daughter to listen to her.

Remus was feeling brave and somewhat bad about the situation that he had caused and to try and make amends, he decided to put his life on the line the help the situation. All the while knowing that Dora could hit you with the worst death stare ever if she was mad at you. "Andy, I'll go talk to her."

"I don't know if..."

"No, it's fine. I need to fix what I messed up in the first place." With that bold statement, he resolutely put one foot in front of the other heading for the hallway, leading to where Dora's childhood bedroom was.

Quietly pushing the door open, Remus quickly glanced around the room. Everything, from the decorations, to the posters, and the bright purple paint on the walls reflected Dora's bubbly personality. That is, everything excluding the figure currently laying face down on the purple and white covers of the twin sized bed in the corner.

A feeling of guilt started to spread throughout Remus' conscious, but he kept walking, past the Weird Sisters posters and the walls, and old school books in the tightly packed bookshelf until he was at the edge of Dora's bed. Slowly, he sat down and took a deep breath, bracing himself.

Slowly, Remus gently tapped Dora on the shoulder. She just carried on crying, if not harder than before. His hand traveled to her shoulder length brown hair. At Remus' touch, Dora peered up through the hair that was covering her face.

As she saw Remus, her mouth formed a little smile, a perfect smile in Remus' opinion. Pushing her hair out of her face, Dora slowly sat up on her bed. Gaze never leaving Remus'.

At this point, a grin also graced the face of Remus as he slightly held out his arms for her. Dora looked up at him once again and without a moments hesitation, fell into his arms, burying her face in his chest. His hand instinctively went to the back of her neck to pull her closer to him, the other arm around her waist as he softly kissed her forehead.

They sat there like that for what seemed to them to be an infinity. No words were needed.

Eventually Remus broke the silence with a whispered "I love you." Quickly followed by a heartfelt apology. "I was so stupid to think that everything would be better if I left. I was wrong. I was trying to protect you though. I thought that it was the best thing to do at the time though. I'm just so sorry Dora"

"Just don't ever leave again." Dora whispered back "I missed you so much, and the baby missed you too. I can tell."

Locking eyes, the two smiled at each other before Remus leaned in to give Dora a kiss on the cheek.

Unknown to the two of them, Andromeda had watched the whole scenario unfold from the doorway. And she smiled to herself because they were just too perfect. Just as she was about to walk away, Remus and Dora turned around and saw her standing there.

"Anyone up for a nice homemade dinner?" she asked conversationally.

**A/N Hi everyone. I first want to apologize that the updates for these chapters will come sporadically and are kind of short. I am really trying to find time to write this fanfic more often because I really enjoy writing it, as well as posting for everyone to read. Also, I want to say sorry that this chapter is overly sappy. I've kind of had a rough day today (my dog passed away) and I just needed something to cheer me up. I really hope that anyone who is reading this likes the new chapter. **

**Lastly, I want to dedicate this chapter to my dog, Buddy. **


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